Two of 3 victims identified in fatal SOMA crash

The San Francisco medical examiner has identified two of three people killed in a fiery crash in the South of Market neighborhood Saturday night following a California Highway Patrol pursuit.

The medical examiner’s office today identified two of the victims in the crash as Gene Mollique Jr., a 27-year-old Bay Point resident, and David Hamilton III, a 31-year-old Antioch resident. The identity of the third person has not yet been released.

The crash occurred around 9:20 p.m. Saturday after officers near Fifth and Bryant streets in San Francisco saw a white Chevrolet driving in a reckless fashion, according to the CHP.

An officer began to follow the Chevrolet as it drove on to Fifth Street and saw it speed through a red light. When the officer tried to pull the vehicle over, its driver failed to stop and ran another red light, according to the CHP.

The officer stopped the pursuit at that point for safety concerns, and a short time later the Chevrolet struck a taxicab several blocks away and burst into flames, CHP officials said.

Fire crews found two bodies inside the vehicle and a third person nearby who had been ejected from it and was killed.

The taxi driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries described as mild to moderate.

CHP Officer Vu Williams today said investigators are still working to determine who was driving the Chevrolet, or why they might have fled from officers. He said the vehicle had not been reported stolen.